I can hardly believe that school is officially in session. How did the first day go for you, Mom? Some of us felt enthusiastic and excited for a new year. Others of us wrestled with feelings of sadness and anxiety. And for most of us, it was probably a mixed bag of all the feels. We love our kids and want to see them succeed and reach their full potential. Licensed School Psychologist and Mama of Two Dr. Gihanna Jimenez wants that for your child, too.
Dr. Gihanna Jimenez
Dr. Jimenez has over 13 years of experience working with students, families, and teachers in both the public and private sectors. And as a Miami native, she understands the unique complexities and opportunities that accompany the various educational options available to students in Miami-Dade County. She offers a variety of services in both English and Spanish including psycho-educational evaluations, educational consultations, and IQ (gifted) evaluations. She also has a lot of expertise working with children and adolescents with learning and intellectual disabilities, dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and ADHD. Personally, she is committed to philanthropy work with Guardian Angels of Jackson Hospital, gifted advocacy, and other local organizations that support the needs of children.
But what struck me even more than her impressive résumé is her passion for enabling students to reach their fullest potential–academically and emotionally.
The key, she believes, is to develop a child’s strengths as part of a comprehensive educational plan. After all, kids are whole people who need to be holistically nurtured. Her private practice, Dr. Jimenez Testing, is located at 7301 SW 57 Court, Suite 565 in the heart of South Miami, 33143.
In addition to her work with students and their families, she’s taught graduate courses in social-emotional learning at the University of Miami and psychoeducational assessment at Barry University. She’s a big believer in teacher self-care and enjoys working alongside educators. It’s important that they reach their fullest potential in the classroom as well! She recently completed a program for local educators that incorporated SMART goal-setting, mindfulness, and meditation. When teachers are able to apply some of these concepts and prioritize their own self-care, it overflows into their classrooms. Students feel calm, confident, and cared for which, in turn, motivates them to learn. When teachers are healthy, their classroom environments are healthy.
Back-to-School Tips
As our kids begin a new school year, we as parents can lay a lot of groundwork in our homes and routines to provide additional support to our young learners. The back-to-school season is busy and full of adjustments–different classrooms, new teachers and/or schools, and new routines. The change of pace throws all of us for a loop, doesn’t it?
Here are a few practical ways we can make our homes positive environments that support learning:
- Bedtime: We all do much better when we get adequate sleep. This chart from the National Sleep Foundation is helpful in determining how much sleep our kid(s) should be getting. Start with their wake-up time and work backward to determine what their bedtime(s) should be, then back it up 30 minutes to 1 hour a night until you reach your goal time.
- Morning Routine: Come up with a morning schedule with your kids–getting dressed, brushing teeth, putting shoes on, etc.–and create a visual chart that they can refer to. They’ll feel empowered knowing what their responsibilities are! This works with the bedtime routine, also.
- Dealing With Avoidance Behaviors: These kick in after the novelty of the first day/week of school has worn off. You know… those lovely stalling techniques that create stress as the clock ticks away. We can set the tone for the day with music, warmth, food, even comforting aromas! Choose some fun music your kids enjoy and make the morning routine fun. The aromas of breakfast (and coffee!) create a positive atmosphere of expectation for the day ahead.
- Books: There are many wonderful books out there that help kids work through school-related issues. Reading helps kids learn how to approach different situations and appropriately express feelings at school.
- Setting SMART Goals: Healthy goal-setting is an important life skill and SMART goals are great for middle and high school students. SMART is an acronym designed to keep goals specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Help your older student(s) set goals for their year and ask them what they’re doing on a daily basis to achieve them.
Unlock Your Child’s Potential
Now is the perfect time to consider what your child needs to grow and thrive in school this year. Dr. Jimenez offers complimentary 20-minute consultations as a first step in creating a personalized comprehensive educational plan. You will be surprised at the difference the process will make in your child’s educational experience as you discover their strengths, styles of learning, and how to best meet their individual needs. Give Dr. Jimenez a call today!
